Take a quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels.
Put them into a bowl of boiling water, (renewing the
water as it cools) and let them lie in it till the skin peels off
easily; then throw them, as they, are blanched, into a bowl of
cold water, which will much improve their whiteness. Pound them,
one at a time, in a mortar; pouring in frequently a few drops of
rose water to prevent them from oiling and being heavy. Cut up
three quarters of a pound of fresh butter into a whole pound of
powdered loaf-sugar. Having warmed it, stir it to a light cream,
and then add very gradually the pounded almonds, beating them in
very hard. Sift into a separate pan half a pound and two ounces of
flour, and beat in another pan to a stiff froth, the, whites only
of seventeen eggs. Stir the flour and the white of egg alternately
into the pan of butter, sugar and almonds, a very little at a time
of each. Having beaten the whole as hard as possible, put it into
a buttered tin pan, (a square one is best,) and set it immediately
into a moderate oven. Bake it about an hour, more or less,
according to its thickness. When cool, ice it, flavouring the
icing, with oil of lemon. It is best the day after it is baked,
but it may be eaten fresh. When you put it away wrap it in a thick
cloth.
If you bake it in little tins, use two ounces less of flour.